Special Envoy Horn of Africa

Parfait Onanga-Anyanga, Special Envoy for the Horn of Africa, briefs the Security Council. UN Photo/Evan Schneider

The United Nations has long engaged in efforts to bring peace and stability to the Horn of Africa.

In October 2018, the Secretary-General expanded the remit of the Special Envoy for the Sudan and South Sudan to cover the Horn of Africa region, defined for this purpose to comprise the members of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD). This mandate derives from an exchange of letters between the Secretary-General and the President of the Security Council (S/2018/955 and S/2018/979).

The Special Envoy for the Horn of Africa is responsible for supporting the Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD), in line with the framework for cooperation between the United Nations and IGAD signed in Djibouti on 17 November 2015, and other relevant regional organizations in promoting peace and security across the Horn of Africa. This primarily involves enhancing sub-regional capacities for conflict prevention and mediation and addressing cross-cutting issues. On this basis, the Special Envoy is tasked with carrying out good offices role and special assignments on behalf of the Secretary-General as required.

The Special Envoy for the Horn of Africa retains responsibilities related to the maintenance of good and peaceful neighbourly relations between Sudan and South Sudan, initially established pursuant to the exchange of letters between the Secretary-General and the President of the Security Council (S/2011/474 and S/2011/475). This includes cooperation with the African Union High-Level Implementation Panel (AUHIP) in efforts to implement Security Council resolution 2046 (2012), which calls on the Sudan and South Sudan to reach an agreement on critical issues under the Comprehensive Peace Agreement and establish good and peaceful neighborly relations between the two countries,